1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developer carrying member, a developer replenishment container and an image forming apparatus provided with the developer carrying member and the developer replenishment container.
2. Related Background Art
Toner is conventionally used for an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a printer and the like as a developer. The toner is contained in a developer replenishment container including a developer containing portion and a developer delivery portion. A user uses the electrophotographic image forming apparatus by attaching the developer replenishment container to the apparatus.
When the toner in the replenishment container is consumed, the developer replenishment container is replaced with another developer replenishment container that is filled with toner or a brand-new developer replenishment container. Thereby, the replenishment work of toner can be simplified.
On the other hand, a process cartridge system has been adopted. The process cartridge system integrates an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging means, a developing means, a cleaning means and the like to be a cartridge. Then, the process cartridge system makes the cartridge detachably attachable to the main body of an image forming apparatus.
Because a user can perform the maintenance of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus by himself or herself without requesting a service person to perform the maintenance by using the apparatus employing the process cartridge system, the operational property of the apparatus can remarkably be improved. Consequently, the process cartridge system has widely been used by electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
Moreover, the cartridge configuration in which process means having long lives and process means having short lives are respectively made to be a cartridge for enabling a user to use the cartridges according to their lives has also been realized. For example, a developing cartridge formed by the integral configuration of a developer containing portion and a developing means, a drum cartridge formed by the integral configuration of an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging means and a cleaning means, and the like are employed.
Now, because toner is very fine powder, a method for preventing the scattering of the toner at the time of a developer replenishment work is known. In the method, a developer feeding container is placed in the inside of the main body of an image forming apparatus, and then the toner is delivered from a developer delivery port being a small opening portion to a developer feeding opening of a feed destination by a small amount.
Because it is difficult to deliver the toner naturally by the operation of gravity or the like in such a method, the method needs some developer carrying means.
Moreover, the method is effective in replenishing developer neither too much nor too less and in keeping the amount of the developer in a developing apparatus and the mixing ratio of the carrier component and the toner component of a two-component developer at a constant level.
Although the so-called placing type developer replenishment container is effective in stabilizing the level of the mixing ratio of the carrier component and the toner component of a two-component developer, the requirement of stabilizing the level of the mixing ratio has become strict more and more as the image qualities of recent electrophotographic image forming apparatus have become high.
The present invention was made in view of the aforesaid situation, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide a developer carrying member, a developer replenishment container and an image forming apparatus, all being capable of realizing the compatibility of their constant amount delivery properties of developer with the decrease of residual toner cheaply.
For the achievement of the aforesaid object, the present invention provides a developer carrying member includes: a first carrying member for carrying developer, the first carrying member being formed on a rotation shaft portion; and a second carrying member for carrying the developer, the second carrying member being formed on the rotation shaft portion on a downstream side in a developer carrying direction; wherein the first and the second carrying members carry the developer in a lengthwise direction of the rotation shaft portion by rotation of the rotation shaft portion, and rigidity of the second carrying member is higher than that of the first carrying member.
Moreover, the present invention is a developer replenishment container and an image forming apparatus, both including the aforesaid developer carrying member.